Swan-Princess
by Songbook12
Summary: This is Emma Collins' story, but now she goes by the name of Emma Swan because of the single swan feather in her hair. There was no curse but Snow and Charming had to send Emma with Geppetto the Regina couldn't kill her. Second story in the Lost Princess series. DISCONTINUED!
1. Jolly Roger

**So this is a new fic I'm in the process of writing! I'm also working on its sister story, Were the Wild Things Are which tells more about Emma's life as a kid.**

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Chapter 1- The Jolly Roger

I meandered around listlessly, unsure of what I should do. I had come into the city in order for some money and supplies before I returned to my forest home.

A sudden spasm of agony ricocheted through my body upon seeing a poster of the princess with her description as usual- fair hair, blue eyes and freckles. Should be at least 18. My age.

The dear princess had always matched my age, though I had never thought much of it. My real family- Geppetto and Pinocchio- were gone. Abandoned my, albeit accidently. They couldn't have care that much, after all, its been 11 years and -which I highly doubt- they're still looking. Over the last 11 years, everything has become frantic- the search for the princess, my scramble to find a family, food, shelter, any type of protection.

11 years earlier...

A smile played across my face as I walked along the isolated beach. This was one of the rare times that I could be alone and away from the pleasant though suffocating company of-

"Emma!"

Speak of the devil. I turned around and gave Pinocchio a tight smile. He hurried towards me, scolding me for leaving and not telling him. "Emma, someone could have hurt you! Or worse, kidnapped you!"

I slowly peeled his fingers off my arm. "Look, Pinocchio, I may not know magic, but I do know how to defend myself." A pause, a raised eyebrow. "OK, I know how to defend myself on the most part!"

Pinocchio sighed and grabbed my arm again, dragging me along. "Come on!" He urged me. "We need to go back home!" Most 7 year olds would listen to their older siblings (partially, at least) but I liked to be 'independent' and I hated being bossed around. As Pinocchio continued to drag me, I saw another sign for Snow White and Prince Charming's missing girl, whom should be around my age by now.

"When do you suppose they'll take down the posters and stop looking for the princess?" I wondered out loud to no one in particular. As usual, Pinocchio answered.

"Probably never."

I grunted in response. He always got upset when I didn't respond, like I'd disappeared in that short second.

We neared Father's workshop. Pinocchio and I were Geppetto's only children. He loved us with all his heart, though I had the strangest feeling that he wasn't my Papa. Nevertheless, he love me and I he.

"Papa! Emma and I are home!" Pinocchio called out. Geppetto ran out from the maze of wooden carvings and scooped us both up in a hug, even though a) he was old and probably shouldn't being doing this b) we both were too old and heavy for that and c) HE. IS. AN. OLD. MAN!

I laughed anyways, hugging him tightly. I had had no idea this would be one of the last happy memories I would share with Papa and Pinocchio.

_The Docks._

I had a sudden strike of 'inspiration'. There was always work at the docks! I rapidly jogged thought some back alleyways to reach the docks. I remember Pinocchio always telling me that while alleyways were notorious for people killed there, a killer could just as easily grab me in a crowd, and I could make a quicker escape if I went through alleyways.

The unnatural feeling of being watched raised goose bumps on my arms and I picked up the pace, unknowingly evading capture quite a few times. Just when I was nearing the exit, I ran into a large wall and bounce backwards onto my backside. _When did that get there?_

I glanced up to see two men with crossed arms looking down at me. They looked a little on the dirty side, cutlass at their sides, a few tiny bulges and dents indicating that they were hiding a gun and a few more small knifes, and sturdy boots. _Pirates._

I scrambled to my feet, only to be grabbed my both arms with an explanation of, "Cap'n wants t' see you lass." A smaller man was revealed and I took him in- red woolen cap, sword, strong frame (much like the jerks dragging me along now), and a nervous look about him.

"Sorry miss, but the Cap'n wishes to see you now. He jus' needs t' ask you a few questions."

I smiled at him reassuringly, "No hard feelings. Nothing personal right?" He seemed surprised at my different accent, but quickly shrugged it off. He grinned back at me and led the men to the docks.

The two pirates carrying me tossed me down on the wooden deck, much to the red-capped man (whom I now know is Smee, the first mate) mortification. I chuckled and stood up, brushing myself off.

"Don't worry Smee, I was going to the docks for work anyways!" I soothed him. Laughter rippled through the men. I glared at them at, silencing them immediately.

Smee smiled a little and said softly, "Welcome to the Jolly Roger…"

"Ah, you found her! That took a bit long, didn't it?" I looked over at the man who had just entered. Judging by his apparel, he was the 'Cap'n' that everyone was so scared of.

"Like what you see, princess?" The captain smirked at me. I frowned at him disdainfully in response.

"Smee. What took you so long?" The captain turned his gaze onto poor Smee.

He stuttered, "Uh, apologizes Cap'n, she was rather fast and managed to avoid…" The rest of his sentence was lost as he bent his head down.

The captain sighed and waved a hand at him before turning back to me, his eyes lingering on my chest. I crossed my arms protectively over myself. He chuckled and walked over to me, leaning unnecessarily close and whispered with his hot breath fanning my already warm face, "Follow me lass."

Then he grabbed my arms and pulled me along. "What, don't trust me to follow? What better things do I have to do? Try to escape a ship full of pirates? I'm fine."

He smirked at me as we entered what I assumed was his cabin. "I knew you would follow, love. But I rather like the situation now…" He still hadn't let go, instead pulling me closer to him. I smacked his chest angrily, pride rearing up.

"Why am I here, Captain." My voice was dripping with displeasure and distrust.

He smiled, "Captain Hook, lass. But you can call me Killian. Killian Jones." My eyes narrowed. I'd heard of Captain Hook, and I really tried to convince myself that loads of captains have hooks when I had seen him. But now he proved me right.

Sometimes I really hate being right.

"And what would this beautiful women's name be?" His smirk intensified and his gaze became heated.

"Shouldn't you know? I mean, you did send some men after me. It would be ever so impolite not to know."

An unknown emotion lit his eyes and he purred, "Ooh, feisty. Emma Swan, correct?"

I nodded and crossed my arms. "Still haven't told me why I'm here?..." I prodded.

He waved his hand aloofly, "All in good time lass. Now, you're rather lucky, you came just in time for us to cast off."

Cast off? What does he..? My eyes widened in realization and my gaze fell on the smug captain, palms against the sturdy desk behind him, one foot crossed lazily in front of the other. A mask of perfect calm concealed my face and I said, "Kidnapping is, believe it or not, illegal Captain."

Captain smirked, "It was the intention. Anyways, you call me Killian," he shifted into a fully standing position and started walking towards me at a measured pace, "and it has come to my attention that you had a rather... colorful... history?" he inquired, looking down at me, our chests nearly touching.

I raised an eyebrow, refusing to be put off his close proximity, although a faint blush dusted my cheeks. "Depends on your definition of colorful. I'd say the years have been a bit dull for my liking."

He leaned a little closer, challenging me. Never one to turn down a challenge, I stayed still and didn't give him an inch. His smirk intensified and his gaze was smoldering as he continued to move farther and farther into my personal space, so close our noses were only centimeters apart…

The door banged open, "Cap'n, we're- oh!" Smee had barged in on us. Never had I been happier for an intrusion of that sort.

"So-sorry sir I di-didn't-" Smee stuttered.

I waved it away, interrupting Hook, "It's fine. Hook probably needed to go outside to stand at the helm all dramatically or something like that." I grinned at me, "Is that the jist of it? 'Cause from what I've seen… well."

My smile was one of pure 'innocence' and mockery. I was _pissed_. I had plans tonight! Sure, it was work at the docks and go back to the forest after I get some money and buy some supplies, but still! Plans all the same!

He smiled back at me, grabbing my arm and pulling me out with him. "For a guy with only one hand, you're pretty grabby." I observed.

He laughed softly. "What, you expected me to leave you all _alone_ in my cabin? Why, I'd never want you to be _lonely _in there…"

I scoffed and flipped him off and he outright laughed at me, saying, "You've got gall, lass. You'd make a hell of a pirate. Though," he abruptly spun me around to face him, his hot breath blasting on my face, "I would not advise doing that to any of my men. While I may not hurt you, they may… Until I tell them not to, of course."

He resumed walking and dragging me along, "What, you want me to ask you to?"

Hook bowed melodramatically, "Just say the word. And why yes, I do mean both for this and some… _other_ services." He winked and smiled suggestively.

I groaned and rolled back my head, then looked to Smee. 'Does he does this all the time?" I questioned.

"Yes." All the pirates in earshot answered. Smee added, " 'Cept usually by now the lady is in the room-"

"Yeah yeah get your point." I interjected hastily, much to Hook's amusement.

"Alright lass! This," He gestured around theatrically, "is what we do." He lithely bounded up the steps to the steering wheel or whatever you call it. I followed him, my feet making no noise that you could hear unless you were really listening, to the point of breaking your ears and having your brain explode from too much focus.

I watched curiously as he relieved the man currently at the helm and spun the wheel expertly. Show-off. I crossed my arms and waited for him to stop bloody _showing off_. *Finally* he stopped and looked over at me with a smile on his. _He must really love this ship,_ I thought, _he doesn't seem like a man of many smiles._ Just because he was still looking at me and I guess he expected me to, I smiled tentatively. His smile became a grin as he directed us towards the shimmering horizon.

"So, princess, ever been to Tortuga?" Hook asked.


	2. Tortuga

**Wow! I had no idea i'd get so much positive feedback and followers! Thanks so much!**

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**Chapter 2- Tortuga**

I leaned over the railing, dangerously far. I caught a glimpse of a mermaid and smiled and waved. She beamed and waved in return. Same fiery red hair as always, I observed to myself. I'm glad Ariel made her way back to the sea. However she managed to do so. I guess Eric carried her, and then she turned him into a merman like she said she would.

A man with wavy blue-black appeared next to Ariel and held her hand. He waved at me. I leaned a little farther over the railing and felt an arm slither around my waist almost protectively and tug me back. He whispered in my ear, "Careful love. Don't want you falling overboard in the white shirt, do we now?"

Pervy jerk.

I elbowed him and leaned back over the railing. Hook leaned over with me and freaked out when he saw Ariel and Eric start talking to me. Well, mouthing and signing words to me. Did I mention how good I am at charades and how awful Ariel is? Eric is pretty good though. Naturally, Ariel was making eyes at Hook and then looking back to me. Her message was pretty clear- _You got a __**boyfriend?! **__Why was I not informed of this?!_

Hook grabbed my arm and spun me angrily. Why would he be angry?

"Were you _talking _to the mermaid?" He ground out agitatedly. "Do you know how _dangerous _those are?"

"They're my-"

"They would've killed you in a second!" Hook interrupted.

"Hook, I kno-"

"Do you know how easy it would be for them to drown-"

"Bloody hell Hook! _Listen _to me!" I burst out, slapping a hand over Hook's mouth. Not that I needed to, he fell silent immediately, "I know them. I've known them since before I could even _walk. _The man is Prince Eric and the girl is Ariel. They were my friends. In fact, Ariel and a few other mermaids taught me how to swim and saved me from drowning in my lake in the forest. Eric was human and he and Ariel fell and love and went to the sea and Eric turned into a mermaid. Thanks to Ariel, I could swim and hold my breath for over an hour before I could walk or talk, and all the mermaids or mermen know me. Hence the friendliness of the sea animals."

Hook was shocked, to say the least. If it had been someone else, it would've been funny- my thought halted. When was the last time I had thought of someone funny?

"You mean to say… you're friends with the merpeople. And all the sea animals. All of them. And they all love you." Hook said slowly, as though he couldn't get his mind around the fact.

"Basically."

"That's insane. Mermaids hate humans!"

I threw my hands in the air. "Fine, I'll _prove_ it!"

I vaulted over the railing before Hook could stop me. I heard him scream my name before I plunged into the icy cold water. I opened my eyes and Ariel and Eric swam over to me happily. So did some other mermaids –Aimer, Eve, Rose, Annette, and Tristan- and they all crowded around me, stroking my hair and shaking my hands. Apparently I was quite famous in the underwater world. Some dolphins and a spinner shark swam over too. I could see the crew watching me and I could clearly see their astounded faces. After all, years of opening my eyes underwater gave me great 'water vision', not to mention night vision. You'd be surprised how dark it can get underwater.

_The look on his face!_ I thought to the people and animals around me. They all laughed and the shark, Evangeline, nuzzled my thigh. I caressed her snout lovingly, relishing the looks on the mens' face. Thought that may just be the see through top…

_Alright! I should __**probably **__go back up now… see you guys later! Possibly! But probably not!_

I let the merpeople give me quick hugs and said goodbye to the animals before I swam towards the side of the boat. Before they could throw down a rope or something stupid, I dug my fingers *claws* into the side of the ship and pulled myself up.

Coquille, one of the mermaids at the lake, always said it reminded her of a chipmunk climbing up a tree. No, not a _squirrel, _a chipmunk. When I asked why a chipmunk, she said it is because I'm so small and she can fit her hands around my waist.

Hook stormed over to me, grabbed my arm and dragged me towards his cabin. He paused, his hand on the brass knob, and yelled out, "Dock the ship and you have the rest of the night and tomorrow in the city!" A cheer rose among the crew, though most were still gawking at me. I smiled sweetly at them and they looked away.

He yanked open the door and dragged me behind him. He released my hand momentarily, then seemed to change his mind and grabbed my hand again before walking over to the wardrobe on the other side of the room. He rummaged through the contents, still holding my hand, before he pulled out a red dress with a black corset.

I raised my eyebrow, "Any specific reason you've got woman's clothes in your drawers?" He smirked at me. "Oh, of course not, silly question, wasn't it?"

He laughed softly, a rich sound that made my heart flutter. This is confusing... I took the clothes from him and gave Hook a pointed look.

His eyes widened, "What?"

I shook my head, exasperated, "Hook! I need to, you know, CHANGE."

Hook smirked, "Killian," He corrected, "And why would I leave? I rather like the view..." His eyes raked over my body slowly and I frowned and crossed my arms over my chest.

"You're a jerk, HOOK." I stressed his name, knowing he hated it. I barely contained my smile as his lips pressed together. I did not, however, anticipate he would start walking towards me.

...Which resulted in my, backed against a wall, with him pressed flush against me.

Leather hides NOTHING. AT. ALL.

Blood rushed to my face and my cheeks were flaming. I tried to shove him off me, knee him in his spot, and punch him, but he saw that coming and simply pressed harder against me so I couldn't get a good hit.

I glared at him, trying to get him away from me from sheer force of will. He just winked and hovered that much closer. I closed my eyes, telling myself that when I opened them again, he would be gone.

My eyes opened just in time to see him lean farther into my space and kiss me. I was shocked speechless to say the least. Killian, however, was most decidedly NOT shocked and kissed me hard, pressing my back even harder every time I tried to push him off. Eventually Killian pulled back, but only an inch or so. He stared lustfully into my confused eyes. Seriously, where the _hell_ did that come from?! I haven't even been here for a _day_ yet!

Realization exploded in my mind. He was using me! He was just bored. And so he sent his sailors after the girl who is only seen about once or twice a year. And he just happened to know when I'd come out (which is random, by the way) of the forest.

Nah, doesn't add up.

While I was deep in thought, he leaned down and grabbed the clothes I was going to wear. He shoved them into my arms and went to a table covered in maps. Now, I might be delusional and air-deprived, but I swear I so him blush. Cross my heart.

"Uh, Killian?" He lurched and looked at me, surprised to hear me say his name I think. "You wouldn't happen to have something else I could wear? Not a fan of dresses…" His dreamy smile was replaced in the blink of an eye and he smirked.

"Of course, love. Come here." He jerked his head towards the wardrobe.

I scowled, "Not your love…" I murmured loud enough he could hear.

He glanced at me over his shoulder, deciding whether he should respond. He did, walking over to me until he stood chest-to-chest, and crooned, "Oh but you _are!"_

My eyes narrowed as he smiled at me and wrapped an arm around my waist. I grabbed his arm and tossed it off my waist indignantly. His nice smile turned into a smirk and I tossed my hair over my shoulder so the water would get him wet. I heard him gasp and stifled a laugh and continued to dig through the bottom of the wardrobe until I found a *respectable* shirt and pair of pants. The pants were long, loose and brown and were nearly identical to the ones I was wearing. The shirt was soft, almost silky, and was a deep turquoise color. It left the shoulders bare and didn't dip too low. I swear I had this same shirt back home…

Killian's arms snaked around my waist and hefted me off the ground without so much as a grunt- after all, I only weighed about 90 pounds, much less than most girls my age- and dropped me onto the bed. He crossed one foot over the other and motioned for me to change- or rather, he motioned for me to get undressed. I didn't even blush this time (so proud of myself!) and simply said, "You mind?"

"No, not at all. You may change."

Cheeky bastard.

I snorted in disbelief, "Can I change without you watching?"

He smiled sweetly at me, "It's either have me watching, or have the whole crew watching."

I sighed and turned around. The wet shirt clung desperately to my torso, and I nearly ripped it pulling it off. It made a wet slapping noise as it hit the hardwood floor. Killian came close to me, his body heat nearly singeing my back, but all he did was hand me a towel and I gratefully took it. After securely wrapping it around my upper half and making sure it covered what it need to cover of my lower half before pulling the pants off to and dropping it on the shirt. I hastily reached for the pants and shirt, only to see Killian holding them.

He smirked. Is that all the bastard does? He said, "I don't think you've properly thanked me for the clothes.

My glare should've melted him to a waxy stub, but no! He walked around the bed, dropping the clothes on the bed and reached for my towel. He teased the knot a little before kissing me chastely and, surprisingly, handing me the clothes. He turned his back and said, "Don't worry, I won't sneak a peek or anything."

"So _now _your gonna be a gentleman?"

"I'm always a gentleman."

Once I was finished changing, I told him, "You can look now." HE turned around eagerly, and laughter bubbled out my lips as disappointment flashed across his face.

"What, sad I didn't do a strip tease or something?"

He looked at me, eyes wide and sincere, and nodded.

I busted out laughing and fell onto the ground, clutching my sides. I gasped for air as I was laughing so hard I couldn't breath. This hadn't happened for a good 11 years, and I decided 11 years is far too long for a girl to go without a good laugh in between. The cabin filled with the melodic sound of my laughter and the deep, rich sound of Killian's

I think I rather like Tortuga.

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**That was a rather fast relationship development, wasn't it? They must've skipped at least 5 steps.**


	3. Bad Day

**The inspiration for this chapter- Cry Baby Priscilla Ahn**

**Disclaimer- I always forget this! But I own no characters from Once Upon a Time, just this story.**

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**Chapter 3- Bad Day**

After we set sail again, Killian and I got closer. I had been on the set for about a week, and I considered him my _friend._ Just my friend, so any more attacks on my honor would _not _be appreciated. At all. So when Hook made another move on me, I may have freaked out a little more than necessary.

Just a little.

"Hello, love." Someone purred in my seductively. I gasped and turned around. Killian had his hook and hand on either side of me, trapping me against the railing and him. It was just after midnight and no one was on deck, we had dropped anchor in the ocean so everyone could get rest.

"Aren't you supposed to be sleeping?" I managed to choke out. His breath was hot on my cheek and I leaned farther away from him, my palms flat against the railing for support. He drifted closer to me.

"I'm the Captain, I do whatever I please. Remember? Anyways, I can't very well sleep alone, can I?" He smirked and topped it off with a sly wink. I blushed and tried to excuse myself.

"Well, I'm just going to… yeah." I darted to the left towards the kitchen, but he caught me around the waist, looking at me with concern evident in his eyes.

"You've been acting oddly. Why?" I froze when he asked that. My walls went up, thicker than ever and my mask was on. I thought, just for a second, about what today was. The scent of burning wood and smoke and the sound and screaming filled my ears and icy tears slipped down my cheeks and I trembled uncontrollably. I faintly heard Killian saying something to me, sounding worried, and I distantly felt myself hit the floor. After that, everything went black.

"Emma!" I heard someone calling in a haze. I little light flickered on in my head, swearing that yes, I did indeed know this person. "Emma!" I heard the same person call again. Do I know this person? I 'm sure I'll figure it out later… my world began to fade into darkness again when the person shouted, "EMMA!" and shook me.

I stat up quickly, regretting it immediately when my vision swam and my head began pounding mercilessly. I dragged my gaze up to see a worried Killian standing anxiously over me. He sighed in relief when he saw me awake.

I groaned, 'What the hell happened?" The comforter was wrapped around me; somehow I had ended up in Killian's cabin. My boots, jacket, and scarf were missing and I spotted then draped sloppily over the back of a chair.

"Um, I asked you why you were acting weirdly today and you started shaking a little and crying then fainted." Killian was watching me carefully, gauging my reaction to see if I would faint again. The memory came rushing back to me, and I buried my face in the pillow with a moan before he could see me start crying again.

Killian lay down jerkily next to me, lending me his warmth. We laid in silence for a while before he asked, "Did I do something? What it me?"

I lifted my head from the pillow and laid one side on the pillow to look at him. He brushed away a stray silver tear with his thumb softly. "No, its just… today's a bad day."

"Tell me." He requested softly. I hesitated before responding,

"I'll tell you tomorrow. It won't hurt so much tomorrow." I mentally replaced that with, _I'll tell you tomorrow because it won't show tomorrow._


	4. Story time

**Ouch, this chapter... I'll be updating every other day from now on if i can help it! expect the next chapter Wednesday!**

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**Chapter 4- Story time**

When I woke up the next morning, Killian had his arms wrapped around me and I was curled up next to him, pressing on his side. It looked like Killian was sleeping and I tried to get up, but Killian groaned and pulled me back down, "Five more minutes…" he moaned into my neck. I laughed a little surprising myself. As I settled back down next to him, I started thinking about how easily Killian entices laughter from me. He was too close and from the looks of it, Killian wanted to get closer. So, I'll do what I do best- pull up my walls taller than ever, guard my heart, and push him away.

I comforted myself with that thought, knowing he could only hurt me if I let him, but I small, smart part of me knew that there was no way I was going to be able to pull it off. Killian simply wouldn't allow it.

I woke with a start. The sunlight was streaming in defiantly and it lit up the papers on Killian's desk and made them glow. Killian was still sleeping, or pretending to because he was quite good at that, and I carefully tugged his arms off. His eyes opened, annoyed. He glared at me, almost say to say, _'What do you think you're doing? Get back here!'_ because it would be a very Killian-ish thing to do.

My treacherous laughter trickled through my lips and I wriggled out of his grasp. "Come on Killian! It's like, 7 in the morning. Do you or do you not have a ship you should be steering?" I said pointedly. He sighed dramatically and dragged himself out of bed, completely shirtless. When the _hell_ did he lose he shirt?!

"Hey, um, I think you're missing something." I stared meaningfully at his chest. He smirked. He was about to make some flirty innuendo or something when I said quickly, "Not _even _in your dreams."

"You have no idea what goes on in my dreams, love." His gaze was smoldering.

Before I could do something I would regret later, I said, "Not your love," spun on my heel, and left the cabin before he could see the fear in my eyes.

The air behind me reeked of longing, disappointment of my fear.

**Later that day…**

"So, _love,_" He put extra emphasis on the word love, almost angrily and I shifted my gaze uncomfortably to the wooden railing I was leaning on, then the clear waters. "You never told me the story."

I mentally cursed Killian's knack for remembering things. Guess you gotta have that if you're a gambling pirate, right? I don't think he gambles though.

"Fine." I sighed a little. My thoughts flashed back to the mermaids' underwater cave that day, and how angry the water made me. Why was there so much in some places and never enough in others? "So, 11 years ago, I lived with Geppetto and Pinocchio. I knew they weren't my blood family, but they were as close as I could get to family. They crafted with wood and even Pinocchio was wood, but the Blue Fairy turned him into a boy. I think it was the Blue Fairy. I never got the full story." A little flash of regret struck me when I thought of all the things I had never gotten the full story on.

"Well, one day, Pinocchio and I were in the market and I dared him to a race back to the house. When I got there, Pinocchio either was inside or wasn't there yet. The house- the house-" My voice choked up, just like with the mermaids. I steeled my voice and emotions, storing them in my 'later' box. "The house was burning. No one came to help. We lived to far out of town. Geppetto was inside; I could hear him crying for help. A few minutes after I got there, the roof caved in. Geppetto stopped yelling soon after that. I came back later and all I could find was a little wooden swan necklace he made for my birthday that evening. Great birthday gift, right? 7 years old, your house and family burned to a crisp and all you've got is a charred necklace."

I pulled out the necklace to show him. The swan was about the size of a thumbnail with painstaking carved details. There was a long feather next to it that matched the one woven into my braid. I continued, "After that, I went to live in the forest on my own. Better to be by yourself where you can't get hurt, than in an orphanage, yeah?" I smiled weakly.

Killian's face crumpled in a sad frown, a little crinkle appearing in between his eyebrows. It made him seem much, much older. He wrapped his arms around me and I was admittedly startled by the gesture. Killian was the only person –other than the mermaids- to have touched me in over a decade. I guess I got a minor case of haphephobia or something. After a few tense seconds, I relaxed in his embrace and rested my head on his shoulder.

When he pulled back, I expected him to let go of me. Instead, he kept his arms protectively on my waist. "I won't ever do that to you. Its been done to me…" He looked a little distinct, but he quickly ripped his attention away from whatever back to me. He pulled back his sleeve and showed me a tattoo I'd noticed earlier.

"Milah." I said softly, tracing the tattoo. I looked up. "Was that your wife?"

"She was, I thought, my true love." I squirmed under his intense gaze, thinking there was an unsaid _'till I met you_ attached to that. "Once upon a time…" He finished when I didn't respond. He hesitantly dipped his head down to mine and pressed a sweet kiss to my lips, pulling me to him. I even more hesitantly wrapped my arms around his neck.

I pulled back. "Tell me about her." I said earnestly.

"I used to carry a picture of her in my pocket, until recently." The same damn intense, meaningful look. "She was longed for adventure and she left her husband to join my crew. I thought I loved her then, but looking back on it, I guess it was just an infatuation. She was Rumplestilskin's wife and left him and her son. She always regretted leaving her son. Rumpletstilskin came here for her and ripped her heart out in front of me, killing her. He took my hand." He lifted his hook. "I used to want revenge, but… I've been waiting for three hundred years. I was in Neverland, by the way. I'm tired of revenge, though." He stroked my cheek with his thumb and I quaked, just barely noticeably and the fear stirred in my stomach, awakening now. I rocked down on my heels.

Before I could move to leave quickly, Killian's hook arm tightened around my waist and he cupped my face, leaning in. "Don't be afraid…" he whispered. He leaned in slowly, staring into my eyes with fear glimmering in their depths. The fear reared up and I tore away from him and ran to the cabin.

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***hides in safe-house* *brings witnesses and security***

**Review to prove your Loyalty! (and this once forgiveness!)**

**Songbook12**


	5. Once

**It's Wednesday people! Almost at Friday! Almost... Yeah not really.**

**Sorry.**

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**Chapter 5- Once**

I ran into the cabin and grabbed my boots and other clothes, shoving them in the bag Killian gave me, then pulling then out and deciding to change. I couldn't bear the thought of Killian out on the deck, alone, or taking anything from him. _You've already taken his heart._ Part of me whispered, a part of me whispered. Tears stung my eyes as I yanked my foot out of the boots painfully. My foot ached and twisted the wrong direction. I cursed. I couldn't very well get through the forests, or the streets, with a twisted ankle, could I?

My fingers froze on the sore spot when the door opened. Without looking, I knew it was Killian. I quickly pretended I hadn't noticed and my fingers continued their nimble inspection, charting the parts that hurt. Killian came and sat next to me, pushing my hand away and his surprisingly gentle fingers ghosted over my skin.

He retrieved bandages from somewhere in the desk, and I refused to look at him when he came back, watching me. He bound my ankle, then let his fingers rest there for longer than necessary. "Emma…" he said softly.

I still kept my gaze downcast, at the suddenly interesting floor.

"Emma, _please."_ I flinched as it came out in an almost whimper.

"Killian, I'm really sorry, but… I-I can't." my voice, which I had been trying to kept level, quavered ever so slightly and I pulled my ankle off of his lap and stood up shakily. He stood up with me, eyes flashing. He grabbed my shoulders, pulled me up a little so the weight wouldn't fall on my ankle and dragged me back on the bed. Killian made me sit in the middle so it'd take me longer me get off the bed.

"No, you _can._ You're just too scared you'll get hurt so you'll never try. Have you ever even been in love?"

I stared at him, my gaze hard and guarded. "No, I have never been in love." _Lie._ I called myself out mentally.

"Try something new, love. It's called trust." He got up and left.

The lock clicked.

I was sprawled across the bed, trying to distract myself from my aching foot, when Killian reentered the room with some ice wrapped in a cloth. He pressed it on my ankle and the ache began to fade. It reminded me of someone I used to know…

"Maybe I was in love. Once." I murmured quietly, but loud enough that he could hear it. Killian looked up. A rueful smile twisted his lips as he thought of Milah while Emma thought of her not-so-true love.

"Once." He whispered.

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**Cuteness! so, Emma wanted to leave but conveniently sprains her ankle. what are the odds? **

**Hint: Emma didn't mention anything about not wanting to leave anymore.**

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	6. Short Days and Long Nights

**Hey look! It's a chapter!**

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**Chapter 6- Short Days and Long Nights**

The silence stretched on and on, Killian's soft, whispered word resonating. I stared at the ceiling, inspecting the knotted wood as though it was the most interesting thing that I had ever seen. Killian laid his head in my lap suddenly and I stiffened. I jerkily patted his head, unsure of what to do, as this had never happened. After thinking more about it, it gently wound my fingers through his hair.

I felt Killian's loud heart pounding against my upper thigh. His head was pinning me down to the bed, but strangely enough, the common urge to run was fading away to be replaced by the urge to _stay._ So, because this was a foreign feeling, I immediately started itching to run. It's only _natural._ Killian must've sensed my need to run, because he lifted his head… and pulled me onto his lap and wrapped the covers securely around us.

"Uh… Killian? Let go please?" I wriggled awkwardly. He snuggled closer. "Hey Killian! There's this _great _thing some people have!" He looked at me, signature smirk in place. I smiled before continuing, "Yeah, its great its called personal space."

He looked so disappointed… I couldn't help but laugh a little.

By 'laugh a little', I mean 'laugh so hard you accidentally cough up a few organs and say, "Oops, was that important?" kind of laughing'. After a pause, Killian joined in and laughed into my hair, his laugh making my heart flop around-

I stopped laughing. Last time that happened it _really_ hadn't ended well. At all.

"Emma? Why'd you stop laughing?" he asked worriedly. I closed my eyes, trying to block out the unadulterated care in his gaze and voice.

"No reason." I quickly changed the subject. "I'm really tired, can I go to bed please?"

I felt him nod. "Yeah." He didn't loosen his grip; just adjusted my body so we were on our sides and my back was pressed was flat against his chest. I let my eyelids slide shut and let myself relax- just a little!- against his warm torso.

I dreamt of old times, when the nights were long and the days were oh so short.

**Killian's POV**

Emma relaxed in my grip and everything about her seemed to not necessarily slow down, just calm down and loosen up. I was surprised that her face was even more guarded when she was sleeping. Younger, but guarded. How old was Emma, anyways? She couldn't be any older than twenty. I myself am actually about 324 years old, but I'm physically 24.

I cautiously undid the clasp to Emma's feather necklace and reached over her slowly to drop it into the drawer beside the bed that was open just a crack. I pushed it shut and locked it. All I was doing is guaranteeing she wouldn't leave, as much as it hurt me to think of how angry and sad she might and probably would be, it hurt me _more_ to think of her leaving at the next port. We were getting close to Port and would probably dock there.

Emma shifted in my arms, her muscles tightening and the corner of her mouth twitching. When she stilled, her face had a shadow of something close to fear, or maybe hatred. Her heart pounded reassuringly next to my chest, her's slowing to match mine, heart over heart.

Her flyaway flaxen locks tickled my chin as she tucked her head under mine. I rested my chin on top of her head, enjoying the sensation of her wrapping her thin arms around my chest. The rise and fall of her chest and steady hearts beat lulled me to sleep, where I dreamt of the old times, when my nights lasted for eternity and days were gone in the blink of an eye.

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**See you Sunday...**

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	7. Tooth and Claw

**Suuuunday!**

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**Chapter 7- Tooth and Claw**

**A few days later…**

The salty ocean spray whipped my face, my face catching the mist and shimmering with the small orbs of water. The storm screamed angrily around us, the wind scratching at the crews' faces. I squinted, my sharp eyes scanning the water for a bright red cap- if it hadn't fallen off. Then I caught sight of a dark blue blob that was a few shades darker than the rest of the water, with a blackish-red thing flopping on top as his arms flailed. "There he is!" I shouted, my voice cutting through the shrieking winds.

A reply was shouted back, but the voice was snatched away by the wind. Smee was hauled onto the deck, sopping wet. Killian and I hoisted him up, each holding an arm, and pulled him into the captain's quarters. I made quick work of his heavy jacket and, with the indifference that only someone who's seen too many horrible scarring things can have, undressed him and redressed him in the blink of an eye.

I whipped his cap off his head, wrung it out in the basin next to me, and plopped it back on. "He really likes the cap." I explained myself to Killian. He shrugged indifferently.

Suddenly the sound of cracking and splintering wood was heard over the winds. We could hear shouts and Killian ran to the door and cursed. "We're under attack."

"You go. I'll stay with Smee."

He nodded and ran out. I grabbed my deep green cape and crouched low in the shadows that the flickering lamp cast and it swayed back and forth. I left Smee in the middle of the floor, passed out cold. I could hear thudding on the deck as someone boarded the ship. Screams and shouts filled the night; the angry winds were just background noises. My pounding heart and nearly silent breathing was all I could hear.

Hurried footsteps approached the door. It shuddered and groaned until it was finally forced open. Three tall, buff men stalked in, smirking when they saw the man on the floor. One leaned down to touch him, fingers splayed, and my dagger was embedded in his neck before my thoughts even caught up with my fingers reaching towards it.

"I would highly advise staying away from him. Though, as you've already invaded the captain's cabin and are likely to die anyways, couldn't do much harm if I killed you, right?"

The two men stared at me, astounded. The largest one, obviously the head of the group, taunted me. "What, the lovely little lady gonna try and fight pirates? Ha!" he snickered. I lunged forward, my fingers crooked and slashed at his face. A scream tore out of his face as my sharp fingernails ripped down his face. His left eye was split across the center. His nose was (ew) dangling, as was the torn flesh.

"Put a bit too much 'oomph' in that one, didn't I?" I mused out loud before flashing him a smile. He turned to run and I sunk my teeth into the back of his neck and jerked my head to the side. He neck broke with a satisfying crack. The leader was twitching on the floor, whimpering softly. I ambled over to the first dead man and pulled out my dagger from where it was deep in his neck.

I crouched down next to the man, blood clouding his other eye. "My, my. Lovely little lady's got some tricks, hasn't she? Regretting taunting me yet?" I stabbed his heart swiftly.

"How did- what…?" I turned around to see Killian and the Doctor of the ship standing there, dumbfounded.

"Well, you have to learn _some_ self defense moves, don't you? Anyways, I've been living on my own since I was 7 in a forest with mermaids, wolves, griffins, you name it. Freaking _animals_ raised me. I came out of those woods once, maybe twice a year. Does it surprise you I fight like an animal? If anything, you sound me surprised I can still talk."

Killian shook his head, "You would make one hell of a pirate." Him and the Doctor walked in and Doc started his examinations. No one knew where Doc had come from, but they knew he was an amazing doctor and that's all that really mattered.

"That was way more satisfying than it should have been. I may have gotten a little caught up in the moment. Usually I just throw daggers at their necks and heads really fast. Their chatter is really annoying." I said grimly as I nudged the messed up face guy with the toe of my boot. I laughed bitterly, "Wow, would my family be proud or what?"

Killian smiled and we dragged their bodies out after looting them. I tossed one over the railing. I mimicked his voice, "What, the lovely little lady gonna try and fight pirates? Pfft, I fought bunnies that were harder to kill than you idiots." I looked at Killian when he chuckled, "I'm not joking. We have some killer bunnies in my home."

I paused. "Wow, that sounded so weird… But seriously, the _fangs _on those things! We call them vampire bunnies. They suck you dry in ten seconds flat. Bye the time you realize they're there, you're already dead."

"So wait, you have vampire bunnies, griffins, wolves, mermaids- wait, how can you have mermaids in a forest."

"Yeah I have no idea. They live in this huge lake could hold 90 of your ships with 30 feet between each of them. It's super deep too. We also have werewolves, but they can shift in the daytime too. It's dark enough in the forest."

"Tough, love."

"Not your love, man. Not your love."

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**See ya Tuesday!**

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**Songbook12**


	8. Falling

_**So, i was listening to this song by the Civil Wars called Falling and it fits this chapter PERFECTLY so i included it! You should totally listen to it- after you read this of course :)**_

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**Chapter 8- Falling**

The ship was surprisingly clean for the amount of dead people there. The only blood-drenched part was the captain's cabin. Oops.

As the crew touched up on the deck and a few men cleaned the cabin, I stood next to Killian by the wheel. Both of us were trapped in our own thoughts. Mine circled around guilt. The sun beat down on my back as I thought. I had never killed this much in the forest- never been so impulsive- never killed someone so ruthlessly- never had the _need_ to kill someone. I miss my forest and my friends; despite the fact that they aren't human they're still my friends. I made my decision.

"Killian."

"Yeah, lass?"

"When do you think we'll arrive at the next port?" I questioned.

Killian looked at me. "Why?"

I shrugged, looking to the water. "Just curious." I was fully aware we were heading near my forest. I didn't feel the need to tell Killian that I always knew were I was- like a built-in compass. My senses always pointed back to my home and right now we were steadily approaching it.

"Maybe a week. Once again- why?" Killian stared at me. A flash of fear shone dully in his eyes, but it was gone in the blink of an eye.

"I just wanted to know. Why did you kidnap me? And how'd you know I'd be there?"

"Well, I am a pirate and your something of a legend, even though you might not know it. Pirates chase legends and I suppose yours was true."

"Whoa- hold up. _Legend_? I never even come out of those woods! At least, not enough to make friends with people. Not that I'd want to." I muttered the last part, thinking of all the betrayals and lies people do. Some people really like to screw with other people's heads- make them think they'll do anything for them, then (in my case, quite literally) stab you in the back. Bastard…

"There is a legend about a girl who disappeared after her family and house burnt down. She was supposed to have long, blond hair, eyes of ice, and a swan feather necklace. The girl is rumored to have many powers- control over nature, mythical creatures, anything with a soul. People say that some nights, you can hear her songs come out of the woods- a voice like a siren, enchanting and beautiful. She is said to control and protect the woods that surround this land and all the creatures in it. Anyone who enters the forest comes out with everything but their mind with them. The things in there are supposed to be so gruesome and horrible that you go insane at the sight of it. No one comes out unscathed. Apparently, she only comes out of the woods once a year and, you know what the best part is?" He leaned down to whisper something in my ear, "She is said to be the lost princess."

I froze. _The lost princes…_ I shook my head and shoved him away. "Very funny, Killian. Come on, can't you at least _try_ to be serious? Just this once?"

"I wasn't joking, lass! How old are you?" He eyes burned a hole into me. I squirmed uncomfortably.

"Uh, 18." I muttered.

"Exactly!"

"Killian, there are thousands of girls who are blond, blue eyed and are 18. What are the chances that I'm the lost princess? Anyways, if anyone tried to make me play princess and go back to my forest. I'm not royal, I'm not polite, I can't even function properly around people because I can't risk trusting _anyone,"_ My voice was getting louder and louder, not quite shouting but nearly, "so why do you think I'm the lost princess?"

"Emma, who were your parents? Or family? Geppetto and Pinocchio, right?"

I nodded reluctantly, seeing where he was going.

"And are they not friends of the King and Queen? Snow White and Prince Charming?"

I nodded stiffly.

"So, why couldn't you be the princess? It would make sense. Did you look anything like your 'parents' Geppetto and his wife? He must've had some paintings of her." He pointed out.

"I just- can't. I don't deal with responsibility very well. All I know how to do is how to run away. I can read the stars and the wind and the water and I'm practically my own compass- I always know which way is home- I can't stay in one place too long which is why I've lasted so long in the Forest- its huge- I- I-." Killian rocked me back and forth as tears threatened to spill out and my breathing stammered out in gasps.

"Shh… it's ok… you don't need to go to them. I'm not going to make you. I just wanted to see if you knew."

"I always thought it was odd that I fit the description of the princess and that Geppetto said that my parents couldn't take care of me. I never thought much of it." I pulled back, "Mind you, that doesn't mean I believe I'm the princess. But everything else in that story is true- though some small details were left out. Like, only three people came into the forest and they ate some mushrooms that make your loopy for a decade. I think. I know its at least a decade of complete loopiness. But, you know, time is pretty irrelevant. Actually, speaking of time, I only age when I'm outside the forest. Time only passes when I want it to in there. I can speed it up or slow it down, so time outside I've been gone for 11 years, but inside I've been gone for over 100 years. Time is a pretty much thrown out the window there."

"Well, then I guess it shouldn't bother you that I'm over 300 years old- according to Neverland time. Peter Pan is an ass who kidnaps boys, by the way."

I leaned back, scrunching my nose up. "Daaaamn, Hook!"

Hook laughed openly, spinning the wheel to avoid a rock that I pointed out. Some mermaids leapt onto the rock and waved eagerly at us. I nudged him, waving at the mermaids. "Smile and wave, Hook. Smile and wave."

**Later that night…**

Killian lay passed out on the bed. I would sneak glances at him every now and then to make sure he was still sleeping, carefully pulling my belonging out and placing them together on the chair. Killian stirred in his sleep, mumbling something incoherent, looking strained. I slowly sat down next to him, smiled faintly when he immediately turned to face me and wrap his arms around me in his sleep.

His hold tightened and his jaw stiffened. I cautiously threaded my fingers through his hair and began to sing softly.

_Haven't you seen me sleep walking?  
'Cause I've been holding your hand  
Haven't you noticed me drifting?  
Oh, let me tell you, I am_

Tell me it's nothing  
Try to convince me  
That I'm not drowning  
Oh let me tell you, I am

Please, please tell me you know  
I've got to let you go  
I can't help falling  
In love with you

Why am I feeling so guilty?  
Why am I holding my breath?  
Worry 'bout everyone but me  
I just keep losing myself

Tell me it's nothing  
Try to convince me  
That I'm not drowning  
Oh let me tell you, I am

Please, please tell me you know  
I've got to let you go  
I can't help falling  
In love with you

Won't you read my mind?  
Don't you let me lie here  
And die here

Please, please tell me you know  
I've got to let you go  
I can't help falling  
In love with you

Haven't you noticed?  
I'm sleepwalking

Before I fully slipped into unconsciousness, slouched over Killian's sleeping form, my mind registered, "_It's supposed to say_ '**_I can't help falling out of love with you'_**."

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_So... what did you think? Did you see what i did there? If you didn't review and say so! or just review!_

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_Songbook12_


	9. Back Home

**I feel kinda bad for writing this...**

**Disclaimer- Only the story is mine.**

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**Chapter 9- Back Home**

I had only been asleep for a few hours when a sudden weight woke me up. I tried to sit up to get a better view to see Killian, smirking darkly down to me. His dark brown-black hair brushed my forehead, the soft strands waving as his breath hit them.

The gleam in Killian's eyes was kinda unsettling and I croaked out, "Killian? What's wrong?"

"This," He hissed, pointing to my clothes that were neatly tucked inside my boots, ready to leave, "is my problem. Are you thinking of leaving me so soon, Emma?" His blue eyes held anger, shock, sadness, but most of all an insane… wildness, I guess. Like he would do whatever he needed to do to keep me here. It would've been cute- if it were someone else. It's actually kinda scary. And creepy. Mostly scary, though.

"I- um- I need to get back to my forest. When I'm not there things get, uh, a little out of control." I stammered.

"Oh, what's the worst that could happen? A few-"

"The dragons and griffins will leave the forest and start raiding, the mishibizhiw will probably come out of the lake, and the unicorns will make shish kabobs out of the villagers, to name a few. And those aren't even the bad ones."

"Alright, first- I'm still not letting you go. Villagers can fend for themselves." I snorted. "And what the hell is a mishibizhiw?"

"It's like a huge water cat the size of your ship. Or bigger. Their skin is nearly impenetrable; the only weak spot is the size of half of a pinky nail, so there basically invincible if you don't know any weaknesses. Also, if I stay away too long, everything will leave the forest and come looking for me. As in, **bad news.**" I glared. "Now, could you please get off?"

"How about, no?" My glare intensified.

"How about, fuck you?"

He chuckled and stretched out on top of me, pressing his ear over my heart. It thudded loudly against my chest crossly. I sighed, my breath ruffling the top of his hair. His warm arms wrapped themselves around my thin waist, pulling me closer to him while at the same time pushing me into the bed.

"You're acting completely insane. I hope you know that. You should probably go to sleep." I said matter-of-factly. He snorted faintly.

"What, so you can jump off the ship? I will sleep though. Hope you don't mind…" He arms tightened around me, viselike, letting me know the chances of me leaving were few and far between if he had anything to do with it.

I sighed and waited for morning to come.

I stayed awake for the next few hours until I few Killian stirring on top of me. I let of a breath of relief. Being trapped under Killian was uncomfortable- but that was mostly because I wanted to leave. Now.

"Sleep well?" Killian's sleepy voice inquired.

"Uh, NO. I did not sleep well, thank you very much." I put as much as I could into the glare, but I felt ready to drop off my feet and I hadn't even stood up yet.

"That's good… now you can't leave, can you? I can just catch you." There was a note of smugness and… possessiveness? in his voice.

"I'm still going to try." I said through a cute yawn.

Killian chuckled and took advantage of our position to kiss me gently, teeth slightly pulling at my bottom lip. "I wouldn't expect anything else, love."

I managed to grunt out, "Not your love…" before wriggling out from underneath him and hopping to my feet. I ignored my tiredness in favor of walking to the small window to see how close we were to shore. My heart leapt into my throat as I could see the misty shore and the tall, thick woods that were my home… but we were heading the wrong direction.

"What did you do?" I screeched, panic creeping into my voice.

"I'm just making it impossible for you to leave, that's all. You'll get to go back to the forest, just not now." He said calmly.

"When, pray tell, will I get to go back?" I hissed.

He shrugged noncommittally, "Eventually."

My eyes flashed and before I could even realize what I was doing, I punched him hard enough to knock him out- which he didn't. He staggered backwards, clutching his jaw. I turned to the window, opened it (he really should lock it if he wants to keep me here) and slithered out, dropping nimbly into the water and swimming down as swiftly as I could.

I pawed at my throat, reaching for my necklace for reassurance, to find it wasn't there. _Shit! The bastard took my necklace!_ I was torn between losing my chance to 'escape', or get my most prized possession back.

_I'll be back._ I promised silently before swimming towards the shore. It was a good mile away but I reached it in less than three minutes. Growing up in the water has some awesome perks- super speed in water, agility whether it's on land or in the sea, the ability to hold my breath for ages, etc.

There was a little river, about 9 feet deep and 12 feet wide, which ran into the forest. The mouth of it was just a little farther up the shore, and since it would be harder to catch me in the water I swam through the river up as far as I could go until it became to shallow. I waded through it, the water up to my waist, until I came to the very shallowest point where it was only about a foot deep. I sloshed out and started walking towards my home.

The entrance was a little hole. I reached down it and twisted the knob. The tree shifted a little hole opened. I dropped down it and closed the 'hatch'. The slid down the dirt tunnel. The ceiling was supported and made of the large roots of the tree and from the roots little golden glowing flowers grew. They grew up the walls and hung down from the ceiling and up from the floor. I call them or-pomme flowers, which means golden apple flowers. The sweet fragrance of the flowers is not overpowering, in fact it is rather soothing. When I want it too, the or-pomme flowers can put someone into a deep sleep and if you grind them up, their powder is a potent ingredient used in sleeping curses. They're extremely rare, and its almost ironic how they are so hard to find and my home is practically made of those flowers.

I walked deeper into the ground to my room. I passed many empty rooms, one of which held a wooden crib with or-pomme flowers winding up the legs. I felt a little stab of pain upon seeing it. That was my crib, and it would've been my child's if I hadn't given him up. I don't trust myself to take care of a kid.

I rummaged through my room, looking for my guitar or any instrument at all. Music always calms me down. I grabbed my guitar and headed out. At first, I only saw a few dead, burnt flowers or blades of grass, but the closer I got to the mermaid lake, the more burned things I saw. Bushes, small trees, then the redwoods. My breath sped up and I broke into a jog, then a run as I saw a whipping willow that was still on fire.

My feet pounded against the ground as I pushed myself faster and faster until I reached the shore. What I saw broke my heart into a million tiny, sharp glacial pieces.

The lake's surface was sooty and black from the ash. The rocks were charred and laid neatly out upon them were all my mermaids- Échelle Coquille, Sirène, Fantôme, and Bulle. The only one missing was Ariel, who escaped to the sea with Eric just in time, it seems.

I found myself walking towards their burnt beyond recognition bodies. Who would do this to me? I almost wished I would cry, just to restore a sense of normalcy. This is what I get for leaving. I was gone for not even a month and my home and family is destroyed for the second time in my life. Along the shore, a mishibizhiw carcass was stretched out as though it were sleeping. I dove beneath the surface of the water to go to the cave where I could pretend that everything was fine long enough to gather enough of my heart-shards to keep going.

I entered the cavern and I didn't even have it in me to cry out. I couldn't even muster up a spark of surprise as I took in Ariel and Eric's lifeless bodies propped on the rocks, the spear still embedded deep in their chests.

I left the cave quickly before I would do something I would regret. When my emotions take control of me, things happen. Once, a whole kingdom was destroyed because of it. They did deserve it, but I hate feeling like I can't control myself because I sometimes _can't_.

Once I was out of the lake, I ran through the forest, the only signs that I was ever there are the faint stirring of the stiff, dead undergrowth and the hazy scent of vanilla.

I scaled the largest redwood tree that I could find that wasn't too horribly burnt. I folded in on myself, pressing my back against the stiff trunk behind me. I stared at the ground that was so far below me. The dead woods, the dead animals, the dead mermaids…

I swallowed past the lump in my throat, blinking away stray tears and began to sing.

_I am lost, in an ocean._

_Far away from home._

_Carry me, across the sea._

_To a place I've known._

_And I don't like it here anymore._

_No I don't like it here, anymore. Anymore._

_Lock me in, close the door._

_Oxygen, falls apart._

_Spiders crawl, Mountains fall._

_Every evening sirens call._

_And I don't like it here anymore._

_No I don't like it here, anymore. Anymore._

_Doo doot doo doo doo doot doo, doot._

_And I don't like it here anymore._

_No I don't like it here, anymore._

_No I don't like it here, anymore._

_No I don't like it here, anymore _

A spark of life threaded through the air weakly as I sang, golden gossamer strands winding lethargically, casting a soft glow before fading.

_No, I don't like it here, anymore…_ I echoed once more, staring up at the moon that had never stared so cruelly back at me.

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**Poor Emma! The song is called Lost by Priscilla Ahn.**

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**Songbook12**


	10. At the River's Bend

**Hey!**

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**Chapter 10- At the River's Bend**

I paced restlessly. My mind kept trying to wander back to my friends bodies on the shore but I steered it over to the lost princess instead. I could _not_ be the princess. I just… couldn't! It would never work out, I'd be more savage warrior than princess! OK, maybe not savage, but still- princess is not my thing.

I grabbed my guitar and started strumming.

_There's a pub on the south side of town,_

_Time stands still well there's still wine around,_

_She's the one in the calico,_

_The one who's always and never alone,_

_Did she let him go?_

_Or did the four winds blow him away?_

_Dies she even know she's the girl with the red balloon?_

My thoughts cleared and I switched songs.

_Why do you keep looking out the window?_

_I there something left behind or never found?_

_Do I even want to know?_

_If you knew what I was thinking_

_I wonder if it'd even draw a tear_

_There's just one way to find out._

_Go- o-o_

_Go- o-o_

_Did sirens steal your heart when you weren't looking?_

_Where'd you learn to lie the way you do_

_Look's like you made up your mind_

_I have to say I didn't see this coming_

_But who does?_

_You won't want to see me standing in the door_

I wonder what Killian is thinking.

**Killian's POV**

A growl seeped through my clenched teeth. How could she just _leave?_ I was keeping her here because of what I heard happened to her home. Apparently, some people came into her forest looking for her to capture or kill her and ended up burning her forest. If nothing would break her that would.

The ship was docked out of sight of the docks, near a little river that went inside Emma's forest. The forest was much larger than I thought it was, with huge trees at least a 100 ft. tall and 30 ft. around the trunk. Strange ivy crawled up the trunks with multi colored flowers sprouting out of it. A flower would occasionally give out a puff of extraordinary colored cloud about the size of my fist, and whenever something inhaled the gas it would pass out, start walking funny, or freeze up.

So when a small fox passed by the flowers and a pink flowers oozed the gas, the fox staggered and fell over… then was eaten by the flower.

"Men!" I roared. "Stay away from those flowers. Got it?"

They all nodded, albeit confusedly. Their confusion left when the ivy attacked another larger animal. This time, the ivy grabbed the animal, a blue flower immobilized it, and then it was eaten.

My group of four men climbed hastily into the rowboat and started rowing upstream with me at the head. We _will_ find her. Before something happens to her.

**Emma's POV**

I walked on the sand of the river I swam up yesterday. I figured I would go back to Killian and see if I could stay with him for a while, maybe find what was left of the mermaid's kingdom and tell them what happened. Luckily, or not so luckily, only that one area was burnt so no other animals were killed. Just one mishibizhiw was killed and every- single- mermaid.

The sand rubbed against my bare feet. My boots swung by my side, their strings tied around my wrist. The soft leather was worn down and I figured I would be quieter without them. Most of the animals here are in grieving for the loss of the mermaids and the mishibizhiw. Every creature here knew one another, which was saying something considering how the forest was infinite, literally. From the outside it looked a little small, but once you were in you couldn't get out without my assistance. The mermaids and I were the only ones who weren't nomadic.

I heard the people before I could see them. Someone was in my river. No one goes in my river. Especially after what happened last time. I pulled out my bow and notched an arrow. I slipped into the shadows and prepared myself to shoot the men. From the grunts and number of individual splashes, there were at least four men.

The small boat came around the bend… a gasp of surprise escaped my lips, causing me to misfire and miss the man's heart that was at the 'helm'.

_"Hook?"_

**Killian's POV**

An arrow whizzed past my nose, just grazing the skin. I turned quickly and heard an astounded, "_Hook_?" coming from the shadows. I squinted my eyes and saw a faint silhouette hovering anxiously by the flower ivy things. _Emma._

"Emma, look out!" I shouted as the flowers leaned forwards… and nuzzled her hair. She stepped out, eyeing me quizzically.

"What? The Angélique Ivy has never attacked me. Neither has anything else, but they don't like intruders. Speaking of which… You're intruding. So you're likely to get attacked by every creature here. Oh, and now that your in here the likelihood of you being able to get out by yourself is nonexistent. Just for the record."

"We came in here to get you and bring you back. I already knew what happened to your home. That's why I didn't want you to leave." No use lying to her, it certainly wouldn't help my cause.

She stared at me for a long minute before finally saying, "You're not lying… I can help you out of here, but I can't go with you. What if more people attack my home? Did you see what they did to the Mermaid Lake? Five burnt mermaid carcasses on the shore and two inside the cave. That's all of the mermaids who live her! And then they managed to slaughter a mishibizhiw!" She was obviously upset and she still hadn't come farther out of the woods. "That being said, I'll take you to the edge of the woods and then you can leave."

"Are you really going to stay here for your whole life? Just, alone?"

"I left once. Just once, not counting the trips to the market I made. Haven't felt the need to live since then. I don't leave much. There was one vendor I always visited. You know that already, right? She was a fabric's vendor. Milah. Ran away with a pirate. Stopped buying fabric from the market after that." Her blue eyes held slivers of ice. She turned away from me and whispered something to the flowers. The nodded and the ivy turned a silver color and wound up the trunk until they were out of sight.

"Ready?" she said, her back turned to the thick purple smoke that was rising in the sky.

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**Things are about to get confusing in the next chapter...**

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**Songbook12**


	11. The Curse

**I helped my friend pick out her 4 barn cats today. their names are Noir, Piwacket, Anne Boleyn, and Bond. As in ****_James_**** Bond because he is a tuxedo cat. it only makes sense!**

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**Chapter 11- Cursed**

"Ready?" I asked them. Better get this over with. Killian's gaze left mine and hovered above me. I whipped around, hair flying; to see dark purple smoke enveloped the skies about fifty miles away. I shrugged.

"Probably another angry witch casting some curse on the town. It happens waaay more than you'd think it would." I turned my attention back to the crew and motioned for them to turn the boat around and go back. "I'll walk."

"But, miss-" Smee started but I said,

"I'll walk so none of the creatures try to attack the boat. I'm surprised nothing has attacked you yet." As we walked or rowed down the river respectively, I thought about why the creatures wouldn't have attacked them. Maybe my scent was on them? Or maybe the creatures picked up on what they were doing; they were good with that kind of thing.

"Alright, this is where I'll leave you guys. The river mouth is straight ahead, don't get out of the boat until you can't see me. 'Kay?" My hand was propped against my hip, toe tapping as though I had somewhere to be.

Somewhere otherwise known as nowhere.

"Love, you'd probably be better off coming with us if the purple cloud is anything to go by." Killian said, stepping out of the boat towards me.

I cast the smoke another look then said testily, "Yeah well nothing can get inside the woods without my consent or knowledge so really- it wouldn't matter at all. Only reason you got in here was because I had a little… problem." My mind dragged up the pictures of the mermaids' mutilated bodies and I inwardly winced, outwardly twitching.

"Emma-" He growled softly, his tone holding more urgency.

"I'm not coming! Get that through your _thick head_ that I'm not something that you can win or keep or _anything!_ Believe it or not- I have feelings, however stunted and ignored they are, and the last time I felt like this I was left alone with a kid that I knew I couldn't take care of! Feelings are just some little shitty toy life uses to screw with us ever more! Tell me, what happened to Milah?" I shouted, blackness threatening at the edges at my vision. After the black is fully in, I lose time and I go on autopilot. Don't remember a thing. It's like being drunk.

"Emma! Look. _Behind_. **_You_**." He enunciated every word carefully, struggling to keep his tone even. I turned to see the smoke pushing against the town that I chose to protect, my confidence in it's ability to block magic out wavering as I saw the smoke oozing through.

I spun around with a wild grin. "Change of plan pirates, we're leaving this place pronto mento. We're doing it my way though," was the only warning I gave before jumping into the small floating thingy, dragging Killian in with me then mentally destroying the little dam that kept out most of the water, efficiently flooding the river we were in and filling the banks. We rode out the tides and I shouted single worded orders, mostly "Left! Leftleftleftleft for fucks sake LEFT!" and "Holy sweet Jesus RIGHT!"

Killian laughter exploded in my ear as I screamed the first command and he whispered huskily, "I do love a woman who takes control."

My gaze left the pregnant waters to his for a quick minute and I said, "Really? Even _now_ you make innuendos? I mean, if you insist…" I dragged him down and kissed him, my tongue darting inside his mouth quickly before I pulled away and shouted another command. Killian laughed again before lifting me up and behind me and took command of the small whatever we were in.

I turned behind us to see some kelpies I knew in the large wave we were riding on and I waves to them before signing out 'SOS- idiots on board' and rolling my eyes. They barked and swam to the sides of the boat, boosting it up a little and steering it. The sailors hollered and screamed (like a girl!) and gripped the sides out of surprise. Smee, Killian and I were the only ones who remained unfazed and I got three sets of angry glared when Smee and I laughed at them.

"Alright! The mouth is right up here, so we should be able to get out of the forest in time-" I hollered before Killian interrupted me.

"To _where,_ love? To where are we escaping? Now, don't get me wrong, I know how much you love to run and hide and _escape_ but- we won't be able to outrun that. Come with us!" He said enthusiastically.

My eyes tapered, "Come with us where exactly? Have you already got a plan of some sort?"

"Come with us to Neverland. I have a bean to get there," He held up a green bean that I hissed at- magic beans, then tossed it into the water where it created a portal. Nasty fights over those beans, "and this boat is enchanted so that won't affect us. Neverland- you'll never grow old, it'll have mermaids and kelpies and all those creatures you're so fond of!"

"That's what _this_ place is for. It's my home; I can't just leave. I always come back here. My home has everything I want there. I'd rather suffer some curse and be at home than leave. What if I can't get back? What then?" panic leaked into my voice as I continued, "I don't want to leave. Not now, not ever. I don't care what happens and I certainly don't want to be around anymore mermaids right now."

"Don't be unreasonable, love…" He tried to soothe me, to get me sit back down in the little boat. I perched on the edge.

"_No._" I jumped off the side just as they fell through the portal and went underwater just in time to block out Hook's anguished cry.

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**Poor Hook. Can't keep a girl, the irony.**

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**Songbook12**


	12. The New World

**Yes, I AM alive. and i have an explanation! Seriously!**

**So, first for five days i was on vacation in North Carolina visiting my grandparents because my grandpa has cancer. then, i come home and my dad told me that the computer was broken and i just got it back yesterday. butttttttt... i was super busy and couldn't type this up. but, now I'm back! Hooray! I'm gonna go update my other stories now!**

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**Chapter 12- The New World**

I leaned down, a tear hiding in the corner of my eye, and blew out the small candle. My head turned instinctively as someone knocked on the door insistently. I groaned and went to it. When I did, I stared straight ahead before my gaze was weighted downwards to the kid, who cheerily greeted me, telling me that I was the child he gave up for adoption 10 years ago. Child. Aw man.

The kid, Henry, basically invited himself in then begged me to come back to Storybrooke with him. I was viewing this all with a certain amount of amusement, a certain amount of dread. I can't- just _can't_- take care of a kid. My attention spiraled back down to Earth when we were in the car after I finally agreed to come with him and he said that everything in his storybook was true. That the fairytales characters were _real_.

That's when the fear really started kicking in. My kid- my _kid! -_ had a storybook that I most certainly would be in, and so would Killian, and so would my forest. And Neil, Neil would be there too.

"I can't stay with you, you know that right?" I said, sparing him a quick glance.

"I know. The book says that you don't like to stay in one place, unless it's your forest. You wouldn't go with Captain Hook either, even though going to Neverland seems pretty cool." Henry said, still smiling.

"Look, kid, I'm not a fairytale character or anything. I'm just Emma Swan." Damn, this storybook shit was real. I guess he knew most of my story then. Karma, karma, karma.

"Yes you are! The rest of the fairytale people don't remember because of the curse my adoptive mom put them all under! Please, you have to believe me!"

"Sorry kid."

The rest of the drive was silent.

**In Storybrooke…**

I decided to stay, just for a week, in the town. I did feel a little guilty –well, a LOT guilty- about leaving Henry as a kid, but he obviously had a good mother, well, stern-possessive-protective-stiff mother, but I guess some good was in the mix, her heart was in the right place. I think. It'll be up for judgment once I know her, which I don't.

So, I thought this until I saw her… and then had one of those double takes, 'Wait, what the fuck?' Regina? Seriously. Seriously? I mean, what are the odds?

Whatever. The kid's only a little insane, and that's from me.

**Months later…**

I sat up, coughing. I looked around taking in stone floors, debris, and two skeptical women staring down at me and Snow.

Snow groaned next to me. "Emma…?"

Immediately, the two women started asking questions. Something about a wraith. Wraith, that sounds familiar… I think I had some in the forest. They liked to torture some villagers on the other side(s) of the forest.

"Who are you?" The one with the armor and *wicked* sword asked, hand on the hilt.

"I'm Snow. Snow White."

The girl in the frilly pink dress (Princess. Calling it right now) turned to me, "And you…?"

"Emma Swan."

"Why are you here? Why did you send the wraith to kill Phillip?" The armored lady asked angrily.

_Um… what?_

Snow insisted that we had had nothing to do with that, but at the end of the day we were still walking behind a horse with our hands bound. We (naturally) tried to escape and Snow had some weapon thrown at her and was knocked out, then we were tossed in 'the pit' with some other Cora woman.

Later, after they decided to trust us and release us from the hold, 'Sir Lancelot' (seriously? The odds of this happening…) recognizes Snow and apologizes for the treatment. We come back to the camp after going on some mission of sorts for a magical wardrobe where Cora also was… to find the camp destroyed. There was only one survivor whom we pulled out from the rubble. Once I took a short look at him, dread coiled in my stomach.

_Please, no, anyone but him, don't let him recognize me… _I thought as I stared into Killian's pleading face. Our eyes met and I unconsciously morphed my face in a closed mask of coldness, no recognition, and aloofness. His face fell and he turned away and talked to the others, though Snow saw the second long interaction and looked at me curiously. I shrugged.

I listened as he told the others that he had been the only survivor of the attack and hid beneath some rubble, pretending to be dead. 'Luckily', she did not rip out his heart and left. He said that he had been a blacksmith. I had to stifle a laugh. He knows I can tell when people are lying and the fact that I know him prior to this- lying is pointless!

I got him some water, still pretending not to recognize him and his probing eyes. I plopped some water on the table in front of him and he took it gratefully, his eyes searching mine over the rim of the cup.

A roar is heard in the distance. _What the hell?_

Snow gasped and she and Mulan simultaneously said, "Ogres."

"We have to leave. Now." Mulan said in a tone that left no room for argument. I nodded and got up, Killian following close behind me. As we neared the exit, my mind whirred, hopping from one idea to another. Killian cannot- _cannot-_ come with us. I can't risk them finding out about my past. I was struck with inspiration and a teeny, tiny shred of guilt at having to do this. Old feeling of how I felt with him struggled to the surface. I let none of my inner turmoil shine through as I quickly pinned and tied him to a nearby tree.

He struggled and his eyes pleaded with me.

"I have this superpower, it tells me when people are lying. So, don't bother. Who. Are. You." I enunciated every word.

The ogre roared again. "If you don't tell us, we'll leave you to that." I jerked my head in the ogre's direction.

"No you wouldn't, you don't have it in you." He sneered, a faint glimmer of uncertainty hidden in the depths of his eyes.

"Wouldn't I?" I motioned for Snow, Aurora and Mulan to follow me. They did without hesitation, Mulan muttering, "Never liked him anyways."

We were only a few yards away, five or six at most, when he shouted, "Wait!" I smirked, then turned to face him.

"Well?"

We walked back slowly. He nodded to Snow, who held his bag. "My satchel."

She reached inside and pulled out a silver hook. Aurora and Snow gasped audibly.

"Hook." Snow whispered.

"At your service, m'lady. Now, if you would kindly untie me…" he said after explaining his involvement with Cora and her plan, he was watching me carefully, trying to read me. Mulan came forwards and bound his hands before releasing him from the tree. He protested but was shut down from a glare from each of us. He meekly followed near me, putting me on edge. Killian was not meek, he was a far cry from meek. He's planning something…

"Nervous, are we Emma?" Killian purred in my ear.

"I suppose you could say that," I murmured indifferently, refusing to look him in the eyes, choosing instead to watch my feet to make sure I don't trip and fall on my face.

He sighed melodramatically, "When will the fair princesses untie me?" he stared straight at me as he said this. I ignored him, silently thinking, _'Yes Killian, I know you know I'm the princess. You're the one who forced me to find out. Remember?'_

"We should stop for the night here, and once we can trust you we will. So probably never." Snow said in a dead tone.

I rolled my eyes and went over to the area were Snow was pointing, Killian trailing after me like a kicked puppy. I gracefully dropped to the ground on what I designated as 'my spot'. Killian dropped down not so gracefully next to me, first to his knees then awkwardly to his back.

Everyone settled down with the exception of Mulan and Aurora. Mulan was being guard (but really just comforting Aurora) and Aurora couldn't sleep. Nightmares of her prince, I think. I gave up on princes and damsels in distress a long, long time ago.

Neither Mulan nor Aurora could hear us and Snow was sleeping soundly across the clearing, close to Aurora. She had protested at the idea of Killian sleeping near me, but Killian managed to convince her by saying, "Well, I'm rather useless right now," he had held up his bound hands, "and unless you would prefer I sleep with _you,_ I can see no issue."

I heard Killian turn onto his side so he was facing me.

"Emma," He hissed. "Emma! Em, I know you're awake. Can you please unbind my hands?"

I turned to face him, startled by the closeness of his face. "Why would I do that, Hook? I don't believe I gave you permission to call me Em, anyways." I turned away from him.

"Emma. Emma. Em. EM. EM!" he sighed in frustration and leaned over, uncomfortably close to me, and bit my shoulder.

I jerked my shoulder and flipped over to face him, once again surprised by his proximity. "Ow, Hook! What the hell!" I glared at him, faltering when I saw the sad look in his eyes.

"Em, I know you know who I am. I'm Killian. That's what you call me and I call you Em. Did you really think I would forget you that easily?" his sea blue eyes searched mine until they found their answer.

"Yea." I whispered.

His face fell and he leaned forward, placing his cool forehead against mine. I flinched away and he sighed softly. "Em…"

"Em-_ma._ Goodnight, _Hook_." I said with finality.

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**whaat? Is emma rejecting Killian? Why? What?**

**Spoiler alert- she's only doing it 'cause she's scared of being in love and she still loves Killian!**

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**Songbook12**


	13. Revelation

**here it is! enjoy and don't forget to review! also- check out my sister story to this fic Where the Wild Things Are! It's about Em's awful childhood. it should lead up to the first chapter of Swan Princess.  
**

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**Chapter 13- Revelation**

I stared at Emma's back after she turned over. She really should know by now that I'm not going to give up _that_ easily. "Oh Emma!" I sang softly. The muscles in her back shifted and tightened as she got uncomfortable. "Emma, if you don't turn around and talk to me right now I'll annoy you all night."

She didn't move.

I sighed dramatically, "Remember- you brought this upon yourself." I scooted closer to her until I was pressed up against her back. I banged my head against her back, simultaneously chanting her name and poking her in the side wit my stump and fingers.

She groaned and shifted onto her back. She stared at me. I continued to bump my head against her side, smirking. "Hook, I'm talking. Now stop." I ignored her.

"Hook!" she said sharply, though still whispering. When she said 'Hook,', I whacked her stomach really hard with my bound hands. She curled up in a little ball, shielding her stomach, and glared at me.

"What was that for?!"

I smiled innocently at her. "Hook!" I mimicked (poorly).

"Yeah, I called you Hook. Big whoop." She said sarcastically. I stayed silent. "You're kidding, right? You want me to call you by your real name instead of Hook? Why?" she appeared honestly confused, her brow furrowed.

"Because, you've always called me Killian."

"What if I don't want to call you that anymore?" she challenged. I stared into her eyes searchingly until I found my answer.

I chuckled hoarsely, "You're scared."

"Why would I be scared, Hook?" I frowned.

"How about you tell me why, lass?" I leaned in until our noses were touching, "Still scared to be loves, Em?" From the look in her eyes, I hit the bull's eye. I leaned back, "Ah, I'm right, aren't I?"

"No." she said stubbornly. I chuckled and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"See you in the morning, love."

**Snow's POV**

"See you in the morning, love." Killian whispered before he finally let my daughter go to sleep. Huh. Guess Emma _has_ been hiding parts of her past.

Very large parts.

Charming and I always regretted being so fearful of Regina that we had to send Emma to live with Geppetto and Pinocchio and say she had gone missing. We even put up signs to look for her. No one ever suspected little Emma of being the lost princess. It was almost foolproof.

Almost.

Someone- Regina, most likely- had burnt down Geppetto's house and workshop. Pinocchio went missing, Geppetto's body was found in the burnt house, and Emma was also missing. Charming and I had always thought that Emma ran into the forest (Geppetto always told us how much she loved the forest and the animals in it) and Regina had either cast a spell on it, making it impossible for anyone to leave and making it stretch on forever, or sent Emma to the Land Without Magic.

Then, we heard of a legend that told about a young girl who controlled the forest. No one believed it until someone attacked the small town that Emma used to live in. here had been many people from my kingdom who had visited that week and they told of a young girl, 11 or 12, that led an army of beasts to defend the town. They said she fit the description of the Lost Princess, and then people believed that the girl who ran the forest was the Lost Princess and she didn't know who she was, which is how that bit got added to the legend.

Emma is the Lost Princess, she was in the Enchanted Forest, she obviously had a past with Killian, and she disappeared from that town. After she disappeared, the forest become infinite and it was a maze- no one got out unless the girl wanted him or her out. If it was Emma, and she has always had magic… She might have preformed accidental magic and made the forest that way.

Which would mean Regina hadn't tried to trap her or kill her in the forest.

So Charming and I attacked her for no real reason, which caused her to finally use the curse she'd been holding over our heads. Emma would have been 18, and she never told us anything that happened before she turned 18. And now I might know some of what happened.

I need to get back to Storybrooke.

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**Events that never happened- **

**Regina didn't cast the curse, she created it but bottled it up and hung it over the Royal Family's heads. Snow and Charming sent Emma to live with Geppetto and Pinocchio and they pretended she was lost.**

**Emma didn't go to the real world until she was eighteen, but Snow and Charming thought after her disappearnace she had either been trapped in the forest or sent to the Land Without Magic.**

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**Songbook12**


	14. A Walk in the Woods

**sorry i posted this so late! i had practice from 6pm-8pm and left the house at 7am so i just got home...**

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**Chapter 14- A Walk in the Woods**

"Wakey wakey, love." Someone whispered huskily in my ear. Killian. I sighed and looked up, to find myself- once again- nose to nose with Killian Jones.

"You know, Hook, there's this fantastic thing called _personal space._ Ever heard of it?" I said irritably.

Hook appeared to consider it before smiling brightly at me, "Nope!"

I glared and ignored the hand he held out to pull me up. I looked around the camp to see everyone… fast asleep. Looking at the sky, I realized it wasn't even daytime. The moon still shone, a pearly orb on the horizon.

"Hook." I struggled to keep my voice even, "Why did you wake me up in the middle of the night?"

'Figured we needed some alone time- you know, to talk." Killian snatched my hand, tightening his grip when I tried to yank it away. He gently guided me to the woods, telling me,

"I'm not going to let you get back to sleep until we talk and I'm satisfied with your answers, my love." I sighed. He really wouldn't.

"Not your love." I argued feebly. "Why'd you wake me up? Couldn't this wait until morning? I haven't slept in a week, even before I fell into the portal. I'm going to fall off my feet any moment now."

Killian studied me carefully, a small, loving smile curling his lips that kicked my flight instinct up three notches. Killian leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to my unresponsive lips. He then swept me off my feet, and I mean that in the most literal since, and carried me.

"You don't weigh much. Haven't you been eating?" there was a undercurrent of worry in his voice that he didn't even bother to hide.

I snorted, "Like a fucking pig." The words had lost their bite, dulled by the sleepiness in my voice. Killian chuckled and pressed me closer to his chest. I must have dozed off, because when I opened my eyes Killian was holding me in my arms with a smug smirk plastered on his face.

"You weren't kidding about falling asleep." He murmured. I grunted, trying to figure out why the ground was so soft beneath me- oh. I was curled up in Killian's lap, my head resting in the crook of his neck. I blushed and made to move away, but Killian pulled me against him and whispered,

"Don't. Just, don't. I've gone to long without you, I need you. I need you to stay now, Emma. Even though you want to run." It was his tone that convinced me to let him hold me for a while and bury his face in my golden tresses. He sounded so broken and lost, and even if I wanted to I doubted I could've gotten out of his grip_. 'He's not going to make the same mistake twice,'_ I thought.

I watched the moon sink ever so slowly; as though it were a piece of bread you threw to the ducks- slowly being weighed down by the water until it had no choice but to disappear. Like me.

"What did you want to talk about?" I asked softly. Killian mumbled something into my neck.

"What?" I inquired.

He pulled away the tiniest bit, his lips ghosting over the hammering pulse point on my neck. "I said, I wanted to talk about us, but it looks like that sorted itself out." There was a hint of smugness in his voice, "Guess you knew how persistent I am and decided to cave early to save us both the trouble."

"Now, wait a minute," I protested, "there is no 'us'. I'm only here because I'm too tired to do anything about it and you've currently got the upper hand."

Killian frowned and pulled away slightly from me, yet still pulling me closer, "You're not going to ignore the obvious again, are you? I want you, you know I want you, you want me," I started to protest again but he covered my mouth with his lips, "and you know I know you want me." He finished.

I huffed in annoyance. "No I don't!"

"Just admit it my love, you do want me." That last comment pushed me over the edge. I was fueled by my anger and pushed myself out of his lap and shouted, "I'm not your love! Got it? I'm not, and I never was or will be!" Then I stormed away from him.

* * *

**What will Killian do? grab her arm. duh.**

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**Songbook12**


	15. I Can't

**mumphfg... i don't like this chapter.**

**at all.**

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**Chapter 15- I can't**

I had barely gotten two steps before Killian had wrapped his arm securely around my waist and pulled me back down again.

"I do believe you were indeed once my love, and I can assure you you will be mine again." Killian purred in my ear, nipping the shell of my ear. I let out a little gasp and struggled weakly to get out of his confining arms. Killian growled a warning and I stopped.

"How'd you even get your hands untied? You've only got one freaking hand." I questioned wearily, finally relenting and closing my eyes and letting my head thud against Killian's big chest. He smiled into my hair.

"One hand, but one very talented mouth." He murmured suggestively into my ear. I elbowed him viciously in the ribs. He grunted and his grip loosened enough for me to wriggle out. I got to my feet a few yards away. Killian stood up slowly as though I would startle as easy as a frightened deer.

"Emma, come here." He said softly and slowly, taking a step towards me. I took two unsteady steps back, but tripped on a root and fell onto the ground. Killian darted to my side and caught me before I could hit the ground, "Can't have the Princess splitting her head open, can we?" he said teasingly, trying to hide the worry that overwhelmed him when his Emma- _his Emma_- had tripped and nearly opened her skull on that rock.

I writhed in his arms, snarling at him to let me go. Killian sighed, "Emma, stop. I'm not letting you go and you're too tired to do anything by yourself."

I stopped. "Guess that was your plan then? Wait for everyone to fall asleep and wait me up when I'd only slept for two hours."

"Maybe."

"Can I go back to sleep now?" I asked petulantly attempting to cross my arms even though Killian pinned my arms to my sides.

"Yes."

"What's the catch?" I craned my neck to look at him. He never let me do something that easily. Ever.

"Sleep with me like we used to before..." He left his sentence unfinished, reminding me of how I ran away in fright. Guilt stabbed at me and I relaxed in his grip. Killian tugged my head until I yielded and I let it rest on his chest tentatively. I pulled my legs up to my chest and Killian wrapped him arms around my legs so he surrounded me. Only when he pressed a kiss to the top of my head did I realize what I was doing.

I shoved him away and scrambled to my feet, "No, no, _no!_ I'm not- it's- you're- arg! I don't want to be with you! Ever!"

Killian stood up gracefully, "Liar." His eyes glinted angrily, then faded into despair, "Why won't you trust me Emma?"

"I can't-"

"No, you _won't_," he hissed, stomping up to me and quickly pinning me to the tree, "there's a bloody difference."

I stiffened, "Well my life doesn't exactly live up to the happy ending fairytale shit."

He growled, "We could've had that! We would've if you had just trusted me."

My eyes took on a harder glint as I shoved him away with every ounce of strength I had, "Maybe I don't trust, _Hook_. Once you trust someone, they find some way to leave you. With you, I just decided not to be the one left behind. Because you would've, Hook, you'd get bored and you'd be gone before I could blink." I started to stalk away but Killian grabbed my arm and spun me around to face him,

"Well, lucky me. Look's like you don't know the way back. Good thing you were so tired." He smirked.

I punched him.

He doubled over, gasping, "Looks like you can still pack a punch, love."

"Take me back, you bastard." I hissed.

"Not 'til we talk about your _very_ hurtful words." He smirked, then it faded and he leaned forward, cupping my cheek with one hand and snaking an arm around my waist like he was afraid I'd bolt, if given the chance. His eyes searched mine, "You don't really think that, do you love? I'd never, ever leave you. Like you said- you left me… when I was trying to take you someone we could've been together forever. You never told me why you left, Emma."

I sucked in a breath before shaking my head, "I didn't- I was scared, Ki-Hook. You scared me. So I left before you would hurt me." I refused to meet his eyes, staring over his shoulder at the trees.

"Emma. Look at me." He commanded tenderly. I closed my eyes, trying to block out the real world. I felt him inch closer to me, less than an inch from my lips, and he whispered, "Emma my love, I'm not going to hurt you…" I tore away from him before he could kiss me, unaware of the tears that cascaded down my cheeks.

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**See! It was awful!**

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**Songbook12**


	16. The Beanstalk

**Sorry this is so late I was at a party from 10:30am-3:30pm then i babysat some kids from 4pm-midnight and i just woke up two hours ago... hope you like it! there will be a little bit of altering on my part next chapter...**

**Disclaimer(i remembered this time!)- i don't own any characters or plot from OUAT (sigh)**

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**Chapter 16- The Beanstalk**

By the time I tracked Killian's scent back to the camp, I had slowed my pace to a walk and, after looking in a small puddle, I could barely tell I'd been crying.

Barely.

I was agonizingly aware of Killian trailing behind me. I could feel his eyes boring holes in my back like hot pokers. When we reached the camp, everyone was, thankfully, still sleeping. Killian wordlessly held out his wrists and let me bind his wrists together, wincing when I tied it harshly. I silently lay back down with my back to him. Killian made sure that the tips of his fingers where brushing my back.

I'm ashamed to say that his fingers stroking up and down my back lulled me to sleep.

When I finally woke up, the sun was just rising and Mulan was getting up to wake up Snow and Aurora. I felt her eyes on Killian and me when she passed but, thankfully, she made no comment.

I sat up groggily and wiped my eyes to get out the sandy stuff hiding in the corner of my eyes. Snow was standing very, very still as she watched Killian and me together. She raised an eyebrow at me and I rolled my eyes in response, silently communicating that it was nothing.

I stretched by arms and leaned against a rock and nudged Killian with my foot, harder and harder until he finally groaned and opened his piercing blue eyes and glared- until he recognized me, then he smiled- no, smirked, and winked at me.

"Hook. You know the way to the beanstalk?" Snow came up to ask him cautiously.

"Aye, that I do."

"Take us there." She commanded. Hook smirked.

"But of course, love."

Killian stalked to the front of the group and starting walking through the woods like he hadn't a care in the world.

When we finally reached the beanstalk, Killian explained to me what happened with Jack (the Giantslayer) and how the magic beans were all destroyed.

"Don't be afraid to, you know, really get into it!"

The four of us went over to decide who was going.

"I should go, I don't have anyone left." Aurora insisted. I winced. Poor Mulan.

"No, I will go, I'm the strongest of us all." Mulan glared at me, Aurora and Snow, daring us to argue.

Snow 'wanted' to go too, but I put an end to the argument, "I'm going. I need to get back to Henry."

Snow sighed.

"You aren't gonna argue." I stated.

"Would it do any good?"

"No."

Snow nodded and hugged me, "Be careful."

Mulan pulled me over and drew something out of her cloak and handed it to me. I weighed it in my hand. _Sleeping powder._

"What is it?" I asked, feigning ignorance. Mulan explained,

"It's sleeping powder. You can use it on Hook," "Hey!", "if you need to."

I lowered my voice, "Your sword powerful, correct?"

"Yes."

"Powerful enough to chop down that beanstalk?"

"Of course."

"If we aren't back in 10 hours, chop it down." I ordered.

"Snow won't like that," Mulan warned me.

"That's why I'm asking you." The severity of the situation was portrayed through my tone and expression. Mulan nodded in affirmation and I thanked her and walked over to Killian with a dead weight in my stomach. _I swear, if he tries anything…_

"I was hoping it'd be you." He purrs and I suppressed a groan. He smiled- yes, smiled, not smirked- and patted his shoulder. I placed my hand stiffly on his shoulder. He slipped the cuff gently on my wrist, much more gently than I thought he'd have considering last night.

"Alright. Let's get going, love." Killian murmured.

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**The response to Emma's reason why she should go (in my mind)**

**Aurora- I didn't really wanna go anyways.**

**Snow- Have fun honey!**

**Mulan- Seems legit.**

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**Songbook12**


	17. I Have a Son

**So, i was reminded by someone that i have not yet revealed to Killian that Emma has a son, so here is a short chapter for that! mostly because a) tomorrow is my birthday and i probably won't be home much and b) i needed to ask you guys a question... which will be at the bottom! read on!**

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**Chapter 17- I have a son**

I heaved myself onto the beanstalk and made a show of struggling to climb it. I refused to look down or at Killian, my eyes staring straight up the beanstalk. It went on for _ages._ I'm never going to get to the top in time- at this pace.

"Love, come now, they can't see you, you can go your regular pace now." Killian said in a surprisingly gentle tone. I rolled my eyes and lithely slithered up to where he was waiting for me. Once I was up with him, he grabbed my arm and stopped me from climbing up farther. He already knew I wouldn't attempt to shake him off, despite how uncomfortable his touch made me feel, for fear that I should shake him clean off the beanstalk.

I shot him a confused glance, angling my head to look at him better. No sooner had I turned my head Killian nearly pushed me off the beanstalk with the force of the kiss he bestowed on me. My lips formed a perfect 'O' and Killian took advantage of it to plunge his tongue into my mouth, deepening the kiss. His arm snaked around my waist, crushing me to his chest possessively.

He groaned as I attempted to pull away and all that was accomplished was Killian pulling me even closer- if that was possible.

When he finally pulled away, he barely gave me an inch, voting instead to rest his forehead against mine. "Why do you still resist me, love? Pretending that you don't know me around your mother," he spat the word out as though it were filthy, "who was cowardly enough to give you up to insure her safety. Why don't we just go off by ourselves? We could go to Neverland, then get a portal from the fairies from there. Emma, please, we don't need this compass."

Killian's voice pleaded with me, as did his eyes. I sighed. "Killian, I can't…"

"You _could_. It's not like there's anything there for you." He accused, hurt flashing brilliantly in his eyes.

I closed my eyes briefly, '_Better to be blunt. Like taking off a bandage, just rip it off…' _

"I have a son."

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**Short, right? Anyways, the question is...**

**Should i have Emma leave Killian on top of the beanstalk? **

**Review to prove your Loyalty!**

**(And to tell me what you think, a simple yes or no is fine. Thanks!)**

**Songbook12**


	18. Gentleman

**Sorry for the late update! My friends wanted to be all social and such because a) my birthday and b)its the fourth of july.**

**Sigh.**

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**Chapter 18- Gentleman**

"I have a son."

I stared at her in shock. Then my shock turned to anger and I hissed, "A _son?!_ You forgot me so easily that you had a _son _with someone else? I thought we were-"

"Killian!" she interrupted me, "I had my son a few days before you so rudely kidnapped me." she said icily and glared.

My anger faded into embarrassment. I ducked my head and kissed her on the forehead, "Sorry, love. I misinterpreted that, I suppose." I pulled her back to my, "I'm still not going to let the fact that you have a son make me stop," I murmured before kissing my way down from her forehead to her lovely, pink lips.

"Killian…" she moaned and tried to wriggle out of my arms. Keyword being _tried._ "Hook! We have to get the compass, remember? We've got less than 10 hours left."

"10 hours? Why?" I asked, confused.

"I told Mulan that if we weren't back in 10 hours to chop down the beanstalk. Now, let's _go!" _She squirmed some more.

I sighed, "You're determined to ruin any alone time I have with you, aren't you lass?"

She smirked, "Actually that was just a lucky bonus." I finally released her and she started climbing once again. I followed closely behind her.

"This conversation isn't over, love." I reminded her.

"Of course not."

"I'm seriously, lass."

"So am I, lad." She mocked.

"Emma."

"Killian."

"_Emma." _I said exasperatedly.

_"Killian."_ She mimed in the same tone. I groaned in frustration and she snickered evilly.

_At the top of the beanstalk…_

I jumped off the beanstalk and landed lightly on the grey stonewall. I went to brush off my clothes and suppressed a hiss as pain violently flared to life in my hand. I looked at it and saw a bloody, jagged cut across my palm. '_Good day to wear a red jacket_,' I thought grimly.

Killian snuck up on me and saw me hand. He loosely grabbed my wrist and said, "Your hand, it's hurt. Let me help."

"What? No, it's fine, forget about it." I pulled away only for him hook (no pun intended) my wrist with his hook and pulled me towards him,

"Let me help." He insisted.

"So _now_ your going to be a gentleman?" I muttered sarcastically.

"Giants can smell blood, and I'm _always _a gentleman." He murmured before pulling something out and uncorking it with his teeth and pouring it all over my hand.

I yanked my hand away yelped, "Christ- what the hell is that?!"

He looked at the bottle ruefully, "Rum- and a bloody waste of it, too." He then wound his scarf around my hand carefully and looked up at me with his big, sea blue eyes as he tied it off with his teeth.

I abruptly jumped up. He stood up and grinned,

"Now, the plan."

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**Hope ya liked it! my chapters are shorter cause i'm workign on two other fics, (Asylum- ouat- and one that's currently unnamed)**

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**~Songbook12**


	19. Neverland

**Done! This chapter, i mean. I swear this wasn't my intention...**

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**Chapter 19- Neverland**

"I don't want to upset you, love, but we make one hell of a team." Killian smirked as he looked down at the unconscious giant.. I rolled my eyes and carefully sat on the statue's shoulder.

"How I am supposed to get down from here?" I asked, looking at the hard ground cautiously.

"Jump." Killian said simply, coming to stand next to the statue I was standing on. My head snapped over to look at him, eyes wide.

"Are you _insane?_ I'd break my legs!" I hissed.

"Don't worry, love. I'll catch you." Killian grinned at me, "Or you can just hang out up there until the giant wakes up and possibly kills you, which is not an option, so _jump._"

I sighed. Closing my eyes I stepped on the giant's shoulder and clamped my mouth shut at the feeling of falling fast. I alternated between eyes screwed shut and eyes wide open, unsure about which was better at the moment. My eyes were closed tightly when I felt a pair of strong arms catch me. I slowly peeled open my eyes to see Killian smiling down at me with a jarringly familiar expression on his face. I scrambled out of his arms, my feet hitting the floor with a thump. Killian was standing right next to me now, too close. I quickly took one, two, three steps back.

Before he could say anything I turned towards the castle thing,

"Let's go find the compass."

I lunged forward and grabbed Killian, pulling him towards me. he smirked and wrapped his arms around me, "About bloody time."

I blushed and struggled to get out of his arms. "Tripwire, Hook. Tripwire." He frowned when I said Hook, but still looked. He smirked and I mentally face palmed.

"No need to stand on ceremony next time, love," he murmured, leaning in close to me, then _winked._ The goddamn pirate _winked!_ Honestly! I'm not gonna be able to hide this from Snow much longer if you keep this up.

I voiced my thoughts, "If you keep doing stuff like that I'm not gonna be able to hide us from Snow."

Hook spun to look at me angrily, "Maybe I don't _want _to hide it! Maybe I want you to tell her! So we can be together again! I don't know why you keep pushing me away! Every time you push me away, Emma, and I'm definitely not going away any time soon so you'll just have to get used to it!" he exploded. I blinked in surprise, opening and closing my mouth, but no noise coming out.

His face softened and he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, "Look, Emma, I know that you aren't used to people loving you, but I'm trying to and you won't let me. Please, please, let me. I'm not going to hurt you. I would never hurt you." He whispered, blue eyes pleading.

I pulled out of his grasp, my actions propelled by fear, "The giant might wake up soon. We should hurry."

I didn't look at him long enough to see the crushing sadness that flooded his face.

"You are bloody brilliant!" Killian cried, looking at me with awe. "Can I see it? The compass?" He held out his hand and I tentatively placed the compass in his hand. He raised it to his face, admiring the smooth surface and the gold casing.

"Bloody brilliant…" he breathed, happiness shining in his eyes.

I reached forward and plucked it from his grasp. He looked at me, annoyance furrowing his brow, but he stood up next to me smiling. "We have to get going before Mulan chops down the beanstalk."

Killian pulled me to him, ignoring my protests. He nuzzled my neck lovingly, "She's not really going to, love. Your darling mother would never let her."

"We should still go, Killian." I said, trying to get out of his embrace and failing miserably, my attempts only making him clutch onto me tighter.

"I've got a better idea… How about we don't go back down?" he murmured.

It completely threw me. "What? No, we have to go back down. If we don't go now we won't ever be able to get back down."

"I've got something that can take us to Neverland… times changes every once in a while in Neverland, so only a few hours will pass every hundred years or so. It's been gradually shortening, it used to be every year in Neverland was fifty years here, than 25, then 10, then 5, 2, 1, 10 months, 7 months, 4 months, 7 weeks, one week, now only a few hours. We could be together and they would only lose a handful of hours with you. Please, Emma."

"Ho-"

Killian crushed my lips in a bruising kiss, "Don't call me that, love. I'm _Killian._"

"OK, Ki-Killian, I can't do that."

"Yes, but _we_ can." Suddenly the ground shuddered.

"Killian!" I shouted out of fear. The awful feeling of falling filled me for the second time that day and I screamed.

"Don't worry love, I've got it." It? What's it?

Killian dumped something over our heads- dust, I think, and the last thing I felt before darkness claimed me was the feel of Killian's lips on my forehead.

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**Yeah, Killian's gone a bit crazy without Emma. but don't worry, they do get back to Storybrooke.**

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**Songbook12**


	20. Announcement!

**Hi! This is just a little message, but very very important for anyone who is reading this story- I've decided that I'm only going to update once a week because there's another more complicated story I'm writing currently. I'm really sorry about that, but hey! there is a good thing... you get another story to look forwards to and you can decide what happens to Emma and Hook in Neverland! I'll have 10 short chapters, one for every year, of an event that happens so if you think up something that would be funny (aka awkward for Emma) send it to me! PLEEEEEEASE!**

**Review to prove your Loyalty! and to give me your lovely ideas :)**

**~Songbook12**


	21. Welcome Back

**Sorry this took so long, i had a major case of writers block! For both stories, actually. but wow- 20th chapter! i didn't think it'd be this long!**

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**Chapter 20- Welcome Back**

I woke up to the feel of water lapping eagerly at the toes of my boots. Confusion and pain clouded my mind, and I struggled to think back to what had just happened. _Killian and I climbed the beanstalk, defeated the giant, got the compass… Mulan chopped down the beanstalk!_ I bolted upright, regretting immediately as the world swam before my eyes and I passed out again, unaware of the large gash on my head that I was rapidly losing blood from.

Someone was tickling my cheek with something- a feather, maybe? I fluttered my eyes until I could take the blinding light that was streaming down over Killian's head. For just a moment, I was transfixed at how amazing he looked with the sun falling over his shoulders and he teased me awake with a piece of straw or something.

"'Ello, love." He purred, stroking my hair lovingly.

"What- where- why- Neverland? Really?" I finally managed to splutter out.

"I can get back the 10 years that I didn't get with you. Then we can go back. They'll only have lost an extra 30 hours or so." He sounded so confident and satisfied.

I gaped at him, then finally found my words, "You're insane, Killian. We can't just stay here like that! Snow, Mulan and Aurora won't be able to get back to Storybrooke now because we have the compass!" I shouted. He kissed my forehead,

"The dust will take us back to wherever we want to be, so if we want to go get Snow, Mulan and Aurora then go to Storybrooke we can. The dust can be used multiple times…. We just aren't leaving until it has been 10 years."

"Why don't we get them, go to Storybrooke, then leave to Neverland from there?" I asked him, confused.

"Because I didn't want anyone to try and stop me, including you. So, when the beanstalk was falling, it was the perfect opportunity. You won't have been gone that long, love."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, _Man, if he gets any more crazy he'll be worse than Jefferson!_

I tried to keep my voice calm and neutral, "Killian, I have a family I need to get back to. If it's that easy to leave, why not drop off my family at Storybrooke then go to Neverland? Why now?"

"Because you would've wanted to go to Storybrooke, not Neverland." Killian explained with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Wait, I wanted to go back to Storybrooke when we were falling from the beanstalk- why didn't it work then?" I asked, confused.

"You were scared and not thinking clearly. So, the dust obeyed the only clear thought there was- mine, wanting to go to Neverland. Even if you had wanted to, I have more experience and could probably overridden your wish." He told me smugly, twisting a strand of hair around his hook.

I thought about what he had said. Even if I could get the dust from him, I wouldn't be able to leave Killian and Killian obviously won't take me back to Storybrooke until we've been here for 10 years, which would only be about two or three days in Storybrooke time, so I couldn't really see the harm in it. Only, some part of me that always told me to push people away and hide was hitting the 'flight' button 100 times a minute. I felt like I was slowly being ripped in half.

I sighed, "Fine."

I was struck by how familiar the Jolly Roger seemed. Large sails straining from the wind, polished wood, and the crew that seemed to have missed me more than all of us thought they would. I never realized that they were like my family until I had left them.

"Welcome back, love." Killian murmured in my ear, drawing me to his side. I smiled faintly as the gangplank was lowered for us. Killian tugged me onto the sturdy board and pulled me onto the deck when I hesitated. He immediately waved off the men, told them something about needing to talk to me in private, then dragged me towards his cabin. I stumbled inside, Killian standing behind me as he firmly closed –and locked- the cabin door.

I turned to face him, barely noticing how our chests brushed each other. I craned my neck up to look at him, a frown wrinkling my features, "Killian? Are you oka-" Killian suddenly spun me and slammed me against the door. To the door's credit, it didn't rattle at all.

"No, I am _not_ okay." He growled in my ear. I opened my mouth to ask what was wrong when he pressed against me. A gasp fell out of my mouth as he rubbed wantonly against me.

"Ki-Killian, stop." I whined.

"I really don't think you want me to." He murmured in my ear. I shuddered, ashamed to say that it wasn't completely brought on by repulsion.

"Killian- not now. Please." I whimpered softly.

"It's alright, I know you. You're too scared right now to let me. You'll come around eventually. Remember, it wasn't me who left. You did. It was never me who left, you just couldn't trust me because of him. Right?"

My eyes drifted shut as Killian picked me up, pulled off my boots, and tucked me into the large bed, "Right." I breathed out, hoping he hadn't heard.

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**Hope you liked it. remember to review and tell me what you wanna see happen!**

**Review to prove your Loyalty!**

**~Songbook12**


	22. Chapter 21

**Sorry- this is a short one! I really don't know what to do with this fic, so... yeah. i've but up the other story though, Asylum, so check taht one out while i'm busy with this one... and some other ones :( hope you like it... **

**also- i couldn't think out a title for this so its nameless. yup**

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**Chapter 21-**

I carefully took off Emma's boots as I lay her down in the bed. I pulled the sheets up around her and brushed the stray hairs off her troubled face. She whispered, "Right," and a smile ghosted on my lips. Her breathing soon evened out as she fell into a deep sleep. Her face lost the troubled look, but was still guarded. Even in sleep, Emma's walls remained firmly intact.

What could he have done to her that hurt her so? I discarded idea after idea about what he could have done, but at the end of the day, I still only knew what she had told me- nothing. The sun dipped lower and lower on the horizon, leaving a bloody trail of red, orange, yellow, blue, purple, and black.

I used to hate Neverland. The sheer beauty of it, the golden flowers that gave off such sweet fragrances, the deep woods that reminded me so painfully of Emma's precious home. Everything- everything!- here reminded me of Emma, the sunsets, sunrises, ocean, shores, shells, caves, creeks, rivers, hills, meadows, woods, flowers, everything! I had never intended to fall in love with her, no, that was not my intent. I wanted to know the girl Milah treated as a daughter. Milah and Emma were supposed to be a good 10, 15 years apart, but something with the forest made her age faster. I don't think she realized it, but who knows. Maybe she was tired of being a child. Who knows? Not me.

I smiled at her sleeping form, curled up against me. Maybe Neverland isn't so bad after all.

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**I'm pretty sure i've already got a chapter called Neverland, so that's been ruled out. Later, dudes!**

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**Songbook12**


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